Game boards



Oct. 8, 1963 H. D. MORAN 3,106,401

GAME BOARDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1961 /'////IIIIII4 FIG. 3

5 5 FIG. 4

y 3 INVENTORQ F 5 H. DAVID MORAN ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1963 H. D. MORAN 3,106,401

GAME BOARDS Fil ed May 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ill/[MW "I/ IIIIVIIIIJ FIG. 10

I FIG.11

INV EN TOR. H. DAVID MORAN ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in relation to game boards and, more particularly, to a game board on whichplaying pieces may be propelled either manually or by means of a cue stick and can be ricocheted from the peripheral margin of the board in various angular directions.

There are a number of games in which a playing board or table is used in which playing pieces of various types and shapes will be propelled over the surface of the board. Depending upon the rules of the game, the playing pieces may have to strike some other playing piece directly, or a may have to ricochet against a marginal rim around the table or game board in what is commonly referred toas a bank shot. Frequently, the rules of the game require that a series of playing pieces must be struck in a certain order, either with or without bank shots. Usually game boards of this type are provided at the four corners'with pockets and it is the object of the game to propel various playing pieces into; these pockets according to various rules. 1

The conventional type of game board which has heretofor-e been assembled for use in playing games of the type above stated, ordinarily consists of a flat tabular element made of plywood or other similar material and framed around its marginal edges with a rather large and relatively heavy wooden frame. These wooden frames are comparatively fragile and tend to break, split, or crack when dropped or otherwise mishandled. Since games of this type are usually referred'to as action games, the possibility of accidental mishandling, in one form or another, is always present. The conventional type of wooden frame, moreover, requires a great many manufacturing operations, such as cutting, tenoning, doweli-ng, gluing, sanding, finishing, and the like, so that the manufacturing costs are substantial. In addition, great care must be employed in this type of manufacturing operation as with all woodworking and furniture-making operations to obtaina reasonably acceptable degree of accuracy in the fitting together of various parts. Articles made of wood, no matter how much care is observed in the finishing operation, are affected by atmospheric conditions, such as temperature and humidity, with the result that such articles frequently swell, crack, check and even come apart when the glue in the glue-joint dries out. Finally, since wood haslimited structural strength, wood par-ts must, of necessity, be bulky and comparatively heavy in weight which are extremely undesirable characteristics for a game board.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a game board of the type stated having a peripheral or marginal frame constructed of a synthetic resin or so-called plastic material which is extremely attractive in appearance, comparatively light in weight, and yet structurally strong.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a game board of the type stated having a frame which will not crack, warp, or otherwise be adversely affected by atmospheric conditions.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a game board of the type stated having a frame which may be very quickly and conveniently assembled around'the peripheral margins of the game board thereby reducing manufacturing costs While achieving improved quality and strength in the finished structure.

BJdbJldl Patented 0st. 3, i963 With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel' features of form, construction, anraugement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying'drawings (two sheets)- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game board constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the game board;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 3-3 and 44, respectively, of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of framing construction forming a part of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View of another modified formof framing construction forming a part of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top plan View of a further modi-.

tied form of framing construction forming a part of the present invention; 7

FIGS. 9 and 10 are fragmentary sectional views taken alonglines 9-9 and Ill-16, respectively, of FIG. 8;

' and FIG. 11 is a top plan View of a game board showing the manner of assembly of the modified form of framing construction shown in FIG. 8.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A designates a game board comprising a rectangular panel 1 which is provided at its four corners with equally sized quarter-circle recesses 2 connected by four straight margins 3 preferably of equal length. The side faces or edges of the quarter circle recesses 2 are kerfed to provide a relatively narrow shallow slot 4 and, similarly, the four straight margins 3 are kerfed preferably in a double-ended tenon orsimi-lar woodworking machine in the provision of a kerf or slot 5 which is slightly wider and considerably deeper than the slot 4. As willrbe seen by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the slots 4 and 5 are located midway between the two oppositely presented flat faces of the board 1.

Provided for frame-forming disposition around the peripheral margin of the game board 1 is a molding 6 formed of a length of synthetic resin or so-called plastic material, such as ethyl cellulose, or a calendered blend of polystyrene and rubber. The material, after extrusion or molding, must be substantially rigid and strong and there are many commercially available materials which have the proper physical characteristics. The molding '6 has an oblong-rectangular cross-sectional shape defined by a substantially flat outwardly presented face 7 which merges at its upper and lower ends through short radii into top and bottom faces 8, 9, and the latter, in turn, merge through short radii into inwardly presented lateral faces 10, 11. Formed integrally with, and as a part of, the molding 6 is an elongated keIf-engaging tongue 12 having a slightly pointed insertion-edge 13. .Along its upwardly and downwardly presented faces the tongue 12 is provided with a plurality of outwardly inclined serrations 14 arranged so that when the tongue 12 is punched into the kerf 5 the serrations 14 will bite into the wood and prevent accidental or unauthorized withdrawal.

The molding 6 is cut to a length which will precisely,

0 narrow shallow somewhat semi-circular grooves 15' which,

' in effect, register at their ends or open into the slots 4.

The molding 6 is assembled to the board 1 by pressing one'end of the tongue 12 into the slot or kerf at a point approximately midway between the recesses 2 along one of the margins 3 and wrapping the molding 6 around the entire periphery of the board and pressing the tongue 12 continuously into the slot or kerf 5 until the other end of the molding 6 is brought around into substantially snugfitting endwise abutting relationship to its initial end. By utilizing an accurately determined length of molding 6, it will, of course, be apparent that the ends of the molding will come precisely into endwise abutting relationship and will be firmly retained in this position by the interengagement of the tongue 12 within the slot or kerf 5. If desired, the surfaces of the tongue 12 or the interior faces of the slot 5, or both, can be coated with any conventional type of adhesive so that the tongue 12 will be held in the slot or kerf 5 by adhesive action as well as frictional engagement.

It should be noted in this connection that the grooves 15 are located in such positions along the length of the molding 6 so that they will conform to and extend across the recesses 2 as the molding 6 is wrapped around the periphery of the board 1 which comes at a starting point midway of one of the margins 3. If, for any reason, it should be necessary or desirable to apply the molding at a starting point other than the mid-point of one of the margins 3, then, of course, the location of the cut-away portions of the tongue 12 and the grooves 15 will have to be varied accordingly.

Formed for snap-fitting engagement within the combined recess-encircling slots 4 and grooves 15 are loops 16 made of relatively heavy spring-steel wire which are bent around into an almost complete ring with their opposite ends in slightly spaced opposing relation. The loops 16 can be forced together so that the opposite ends are in substantially touching relation and the annular sizes of the loops reduced slightly so that they can be snapped into place within the slots 4 and the endwise registering grooves 15. Before the loops 16 are snapped into place, fish-net pockets 17 are threaded upon the loops 16 so that when the latter are snapped into place the pocket 17 will extend across the recess 2 and catch playing pieces which may be propelled toward the pocket 17. As will be evident by reference to FIG. 4, the loops 16 serve the dual purpose of supporting the pockets 17 and also reinforcing the arcuate sections of the molding 6 which curve in an outwardly facing quarter-circle across the recesses 2.

It is also possible to provide a modified form of molding or framing construction, as shown in FIG. 6. In this construction, a game board 18 is employed, which is identical in all respects to the previously described game board and includes a marginal kerf or slot 19.

Provided for frame-forming disposition around the peripheral margin of the game board 18 is a molding 29 formed of a length of synthetic resin material of the same type as previously described in connection with the molding 6. The molding 29 also has an oblong-rectangular shape and is integrally provided with a tongue 21, which is substantially similar to the previously described tongue 12. However, the molding 20 is provided along its interior face on opposite sides of the tongue 21 with inwardly extending rectilinear grooves 22, 23, for snugly and tightly embracing the upper and lower marginal portions of the plywood game board 18 above and below the kerf or slot 19, all as best seen in FIG. 6.

When the tongue 21 of the molding 2t) is inserted within the slot 19 and pressed or tapped into frame-forming position, the grooves 22, 23 will be pressed snugly around the plywood and prevent it from spreading or slipping and will, moreover, provide a very secure framing-joint. As a matter of fact, it is possible to coat the surfaces of the tongue 21 and the interior faces of the grooves 22, 23, with a thin film of adhesive to form an even more secure and permanent framing-joint.

It is also possible to provide a further modified form of molding 24, as shown in FIG. 7, which is substantially 4;- identical, in all respects, with the previously described molding 20, except that one inwardly presented face is integrally provided with an angular cushion-forming protrusion 2 5.

It is also possible to provide a further modified form of game board B, as shown in FIGS. 8-11, inclusive, in which the opposite or abutting ends of the molding 6 are transversely cut away and grooved as at 26, 27, respectively, to provide a snap-fitting interlocking end-joint. In assembling the game board B the length of the molding 6 having the grooved ends, as at 26 and 27, is applied around the margin and the one end is pressed down into interlocked position as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 11. There is enough stretch and resiliency in the plastic material to permit the abutting ends to be snapped together in the provision of an interlocked butt-joint as shown in FIG. 8.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the game boards may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principal of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable game device comprising a fiat rectilinear board having peripheral margins and a rebound frame extending outwardly around the entire margin of said board, said rebound frame being formed of a solid synthetic resin, said game board being ke-rfed along its peripheral margins to form a laterally presented slot, said frame integrall including a laterally projecting tongue sized for snug-fitting frictional engagement within the slot whereby to secure the frame to the edge of the game board, said frame consisting of an initially straight length of bendable material having a length exactly equal to the perimeter of the board so as to extend completely therearound, said frame having a pair of terminal ends which come into endwise abutting engagement when said frame is secured to said board and being held in abutting engagement by the inter-engagement of the tongue and the slot.

2. A portable game device comprising a fiat rectilinear board having peripheral margins and a rebound frame extending outwardly around the entire margin of said board, said rebound frame being formed of a solid synthetic resin, said game board being kerfed along its peripheral margins to form a laterally presented slot, said frame having a T-shaped cross-section with a tongue-like portion sized to fit snugly within and frictionally engage the slot, said frame consisting of an initially straight length of bendable material having a length exactly equal to the perimeter of the board so as to extend completely therearound, said frame having a pair of terminal ends which come into endwise abutting engagement when said frame is secured to said board and being held in abutting engagement by the inter-engagement of the tongue and the slot.

3. A portable game device comprising a flat rectilinear board having peripheral margins and a rebound frame extending outwardly around the entire margin of said board, said rebound frame being formed of a solid synthetic resin, said frame consisting of an initially straight continuous length of bendable material having a length exactly equal to the perimeter of the board so as to extend completely therearound and come into endwise abutting engagement at is opposite ends, and means for attaching the opposite ends of said length of bendable material.

4. A portable game device comprising a fiat rectilinear board having peripheral margins and a rebound frame extending outwardly around the entire margin of said board, said rebound frame being formed of a solid synthetic resin, said frame consisting of an initially straight continuous length of bendable material having a length exactly equal to the perimeter of the board so as to exof inwardly out-out pocket-forming recesses around said peripheral margins, and a rebound frame extending outwardly around the entire margin of said board, said rebound frame being formed of a solid synthetic resin and including integral portions bridging said recesses, said game board being kerfed along its peripheral margins to form a laterally presented slot, said frame integrall including a laterally projecting tongue sized for snug-fitting frictional engagement within the slot whereby to secure the frame to the edge of the game board, said frame consisting of an initially straight length of bendable material having a length exactly equal to the perimeter of the board so as to extend completely therearound, said frame having a pair of terminal ends which come into endwise abutting engagement when said frame is secured to said board and being held in abutting engagement by the interengagement of the tongue and the slot.

6. A portable game device comprising a flat rectilinear board having peripheral margins and having a plurality of inwardly cut-out pocket-forming recesses around said peripheral margins, and a rebound frame extending outwardl-y around the entire margin of said board, said rebound frame being formed of a solid synthetic resin and including integral portions bridging said recesses, said game board being kerfed along its peripheral margins to form a laterally presented slot, said frame having a T- shaped cross-section with a tongue-like portion sized to fit snugly within and frictionally engage the slot, said frame consisting of an initially straight length of bendable material having a length exactly equal to the perimeter if the board so as to extend completely therearound, said frame having a pair of terminal ends which come into endwise abutting engagement when said frame is secured to said board and being held in abutting engagement by the inter-engagement of the tongue and the slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 709,634 Haskell Sept. 23, 1902 715,796 Haskell Dec. -16, 1902 2,634,129 Lohr et a1. Apr. 7, 1953 2,793,090 Wolters May 21, 1957 2,797,447 Winer July 2, 1957 2,825,999 Dompieri Mar. 11, 1958 2,911,274 Grube Nov. 3, 1959 2,923,546 Santiago Feb. 2, 1960 2,943,858 Slater July 5, 1960 3,004,364 Benkelman Oct. 17, 1961 

1. A PORTABLE GAME DEVICE COMPRISING A FLAT RECTILINEAR BOARD HAVING PERIPHERAL MARGINS AND A REBOUND FRAME EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AROUND THE ENTIRE MARGIN OF SAID BOARD, SAID REBOUND FRAME BEING FORMED OF A SOLID SYNTHETIC RESIN, SAID GAME BOARD BEING KERFED ALONG ITS PERIPHERAL MARGINS TO FORM A LATERALLY PRESENTED SLOT, SAID FRAME INTEGRALLY INCLUDING A LATERALLY PROJECTING TONGUE SIZED FOR SNUG-FITTING FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE SLOT WHEREBY TO SECURE THE FRAME TO THE EDGE OF THE GAME BOARD, SAID FRAME CONSISTING OF AN INITIALLY STRAIGHT LENGTH OF BENDABLE MATERIAL HAVING A LENGTH EXACTLY EQUAL TO THE PERIMETER OF THE BOARD SO AS TO EXTEND COMPLETELY THEREAROUND, SAID FRAME HAVING A PAIR OF TERMINAL ENDS WHICH COME INTO ENDWISE ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WHEN SAID FRAME IS SECURED TO SAID BOARD AND BEING HELD IN ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT BY THE INTER-ENGAGEMENT OF THE TONGUE AND THE SLOT. 